Research Paper Volume : 1 | Issue : 7 | Dec 2012 • ISSN No 2277 - 8179 Education KEYWORDS : Vision, education Sir Syed Ahmad Khan’s Vision on Education Dr. Nasrin Associate Professor, Department of Education, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh Uttar Pradesh ABSTRACT Sir Syed Ahmad Khan was great intellectual, a radical thinker, a keen historian, an enlightened and forward looking educationists. The western denomination which lasted until 1945 has crumbled and in its place a politi- cally conscious new world has arrived to which the Muslim belong. In each type of Muslim society various types of revolution erupt which often passed the rubric of Islam. One such was globalization and modernization whose fire were stroked by Sir Syed Ahmad Khan. In the long run this plan would prove to be a creative and decisively shape the societies of Muslim India. Sir Syed held the view that education was a means of fostering and cultivating the inherent potentialities of the child. He accepted that any method of teach- ing that makes the learner creative and constructive should be followed. He emphasized that for smooth functioning of education institutions, sympathetic, imaginative and democratic system of administration is essential. He believed that it would be easier for Indians to study different disciplines of studies through vernacular medium. On the whole, one can conclude that Sir Syed’s vision on Education was a link between traditional and modern education. His educational ideas got practical shape in the form of Moham- madan Anglo Oriental College then rose to an academic institution i.e. Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh. Mubtalaa ye dard koi azu ho, roti hai aankh Syed was opposed because of his religious ideas and the inter- Kis qadar jism ki hamdard hoti hai aankh pretation of the Holy Quran from modern angle. To meet the challenges of Christian Missionaries and to prove that Islam - Dr. Allama Mohammad Iqbal was not hostile to science, Syed started writing Tafseer-e-Quran (commentary of the Quran) with a new interpretation based on An eye weeps when each and every part of our body is suffering; rationalism. Syed Ahmad believed in ijtihad (re-interpretation How sympathetic it is to the entire organism. of religious concepts according to the urgency of the time). To face the challenges, a modern ilm-e-kalam was needed and Syed Sir Syed Ahmad Khan was and is like an eye to the Muslim com- turned to it and interpreted the issues with the spirit of the age. munity. He was worried if any of his fellow Muslim suffered. He Not caring the traditional approach he gave a ‘liberal and pro- took an oath to educate, reform and empower Muslims. He was gressive interpretation’ on many popular concepts. This shows gifted with a rare vision and far ahead of his times. He was a that Sir Syed Ahmad Khan was a great man. His mission was to great intellectual, a radical thinker, an erudite theologian, a keen change yourself according to need of the time. historian, an enlightened and forward looking educationist, an outstanding literary genius, an apostle of secularism and a Hin- Sir Syed Ahmad founded the All India Mohammadan Education- du-Muslim unity and a very distinguished architect of modern al Conference to disseminate the message of the Aligarh Move- India. ment to every corner of the country. Western education and science was not the only thing that Syed The structure of western domination, which lasted until 1945, wanted to introduce to his co-religionists. The Muslim commu- has crumbled, and in its place a politically conscious new world nity in the nineteenth century was so strangled in social evils has appeared to which the Muslims belong. In each Muslim so- that social reforms was a necessity. Whenever any new thing ciety different kinds of revolution erupt, which often pass under was put to them they would refuse it on religious grounds. the rubric of Islam. The picture was indeed complex. One such Hence, Syed, alongwith a new type of education, wanted to re- revolution in “Muslim India” was that of modernization and glo- form the society as he thought that the social evils were the root cause of Muslim degeneration. he, therefore, turned to cure the In the long run, this revolution would prove to be creative and decisivelybalization shapewhose the fires Muslim were societiesstaked by in Sir India, Sayyid and Ahmad indeed Khan.in the larger world of Islam. Inroot England cause andhe studied thought the that whole the treehistory would of cultural itself flourish. development and noticed that in their reformation, two papers, The TATLER Now the question arises how did the Muslims respond in the and the SPECTATOR (edited by Addison and Steele respectively) nineteenth century to the triumphant march of western civiliza- of the eighteenth century had played a major role. He planned to tion. The British East India company conquered Bengal in 1756, publish a similar paper to combat conservatism and give a new - turn to the thinking of his community. Hence having reached In- cantly responded to the cultural thrust of the west. Out of the dia Syed Ahmad started a paper and named it Tahzib ul Akhlaq internalbut it was dynamics not until ofafter traditional 1857 that Muslim the Muslims Society in appearedIndia signifi Sir - Syed Ahmad Khan (1817-1898) who realistically grasped the tices which hampered modern education among Muslims and challenge of modernization which British rule had brought to told(Refinement his co-religionists of Manners) that in Islam which had he never attacked been the opposed social toprac the India. He led the Muslims to enter the stream of modernization acquisition of any science and literature. through four avenues of reform: political, educational, religious and social like other pioneers of modernity in Asia and Africa, The next thing which Syed Ahmad wanted to know were the he used journalism to communicate with his fellow Muslims. causes which prevented the Muslims from acquiring English ed- His intellectual legacy is abiding, even though his tactics are no ucation. He himself knew them but he wanted the Muslim com- longer relevant. However, in order to appreciate his role it might munity to speak themselves about it. he formed a committee on - December 26, 1870 known as Committee Khwastgar Taraqi-e- tions and promises for Indian Muslim society. Musalmanan-e-Hindustan i.e. “(the committee for the Better be well to define modernization and globalization, its limita and Advancement of Learning Amongst the Muslims of India)”. Sir Sayyid grasped the challenge of modernity slowly, and ap- This committee was to study the causes which prevented the preciated its possibilities for the Muslims after his visit to Brit- Muslims from availing of the advantages emitting from western ain in 1869. During his formative years (1817-1857), which education. The committee announced three prizes of Rs. 500/-, were mostly spent in Delhi, he remained a traditional Muslim, Rs. 300/- and Rs. 150/- I, II and III respectively. 25 articles (in largely seeking validation of his convictions and behaviour by some places 35 articles have been mentioned but Syed has writ- reference to generally established prescriptive Islamic norms. ten 25) were received by the committee. Sir Sayyid and the Muslim society in Delhi were exposed to mo- 60 IJSR - INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH Research Paper dernity by virtue of their contact with the tiny British society Volume : 1 | Issue : 7 | Dec 2012 • ISSN No 2277 - 8179 and the modern Delhi college, which were established in Delhi with the advent of the British rule in 1803. The British rule not country was similar to theirs to which the fish answered in the only introduced Delhi’s citizens to a new subject culture, but inaffirmative, a swing, and adding disported that it themselves, was a bright, and good that country, it was very swept broad by also initiated a period of social mobilization which prepared the anda fine long. wind, On which hearing raised this awaves frog came in which out afishes foot fromwere the rocked side asof Muslims, especially after 1857, to accept the process of change the well, and said “what I As long and as broad as the distance from traditional to modern ways of life. frog came another foot out, and again put his question to the After the revolt of 1857, Sir Syed Ahmad Khan realized that the I have come from the well?” The fish said, “Much greater”. The well-being future of fellow Muslims depended on two major fac- same answer the further he went, until he got to the opposite tors i.e. western education and the ability to understand and fish, which said, “much greater”. The frog went on, getting the mix freely with the British. he has worked compassionately for reply. The frog said, “you lie, it cannot be larger than this”. Just all these ideals but had come to the conclusion that his plans atside this of themoment well. Askeda man the let samedown question, a bucket theand fish drew gave water the same thus would be realized only when he visit to England himself. At that time it was not so easy, for a man like Sir Syed, whose saying,causing “those small wavesthings onthat the you surface. have never The frogseen, asked and whichthe fish it isif impossiblehis country’s for waves you to wereimagine, as large,cannot on be which thought the of fish by you laughed, with- India. To make a journey to England was practically impossible out seeing. Why, therefore, do you ask about them?”3 forincome him. was However, hardly emphasizing sufficient for his him view to meet on the his point expenditure regarding in his visit to England.